IQNA

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Cambridge’s new massive mosque is opening its doors to the public.

It will be Europe’s first ever ‘eco-mosque' and is being
built in Mill Road at a minimum cost of £15 million.

The mosque is still under construction so the public will
have to don hard hats and hi-vis jackets for the tour, which is part of a
scheme to open the doors of low energy homes in and around Cambridge.

The site will be open on Saturday, October 14 as part of
Openecohomes, giving residents the chance to have a sneak peak before the
massive construction is complete.

The second phase of the construction will be the roof and
shell, with the completed mosque set to be unveiled in November, 2018.

The mosque is set to be equipped with a soundproof mother-and-toddler
area and a women’s treatment room for natural therapies.

It could also feature an Islamic funeral facility, a cafe, a
Quran school for children and a garden for residents.

There will be a solar-powered generator on the roof, water
recycling facilities, heat pumps and passive ventilation.

A statement from the Cambridge Mosque Project said: "The
Cambridge Mosque will be dedicated to the spiritual and social welfare of the
city’s estimated six thousand Muslims.

"The overall design for the site has been developed from the
concept of a calm ‘oasis’. Up to 1,000 people can congregate inside.

"Tim Winter, chairman of the Cambridge Mosque Trust, notes
that ‘Islamic civilization has been based on the rejection of waste as an
under-estimation of God’s blessing’.

"This idea is central to the principles behind the design of
the mosque.

"With its emphasis on sustainability and reliance on green
energy, the Cambridge Mosque will be Europe’s first eco-mosque and a true
landmark building for the city of Cambridge and its residents.

"The Mosque will have better than Part L Building
Regulations requirements for thermal insulation and airtightness. It has an EPC
rating of A, which means that it is very close to being a zero carbon building.

"This is a large building site. If you are taking this tour
you will need to meet at the security booth by the side gate.

"You will also need to sign in and will be provided with a
reflective jacket, hard hat and boots.